How life has changed in Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield's population increased by about 13,000 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 100,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Welwyn Hatfield increased by 13.3%, from just under 97,600 to 111,000.

The addition of just under 13,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Welwyn Hatfield was home to, on average, 6.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Welwyn Hatfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Welwyn Hatfield decreased by two years, from 38 to 36 years.

This area had a lower average age than Eastof England and became somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 6,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just under 500.

About 17.0% of people in Welwyn Hatfield are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Welwyn Hatfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield saw England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (38.7%) people aged 16 and over in Welwyn Hatfield said they were single, compared with 30.5% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 51.5% to 44.7%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership occurred in Lincoln (from 34.4% to 44.0%) followed by Newcastle upon Tyne (from 38.1% to 46.5%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 8.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England that said they were single, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield saw Eastof England's largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) in Welwyn Hatfield reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.3% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.4% to 3.0%.

Across the region, Thurrock saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 6.2% in 2001 to 5.5% in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that were studying increased from 4.0% to 6.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (50.6%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 53.5% in 2001. The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 3.3%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of students.

The percentage of students in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

Welwyn Hatfield saw Eastof England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Welwyn Hatfield said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.5% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 13.7% to 10.2%.

Across the region, only Luton (from 1.9% to 3.6%) and Norwich (from 2.4% to 4.0%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.9% to 2.9%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Welwyn Hatfield

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Welwyn Hatfield was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.3 points.

In 2011, 30.0% of respondents in Welwyn Hatfield gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 19.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Welwyn Hatfield, 61.9% said they were Christian, compared with 76.2% in 2001. About 2.7% said they were Muslim, compared with 1.2% a decade prior.

In Welwyn Hatfield, 7.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.2% in 2001. Across Eastof England, 7.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Welwyn Hatfield by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Welwyn Hatfield that rented privately increased from 6.6% to 13.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 26.8%, while the percentage of Welwyn Hatfield households that owned their home decreased from 63.5% to 57.3%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 14.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Welwyn Hatfield

In 2011, 7.9% of Welwyn Hatfield residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 3.1% in 2001. The 4.7 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 84.1% of people in Welwyn Hatfield said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 93.7% in 2001. About 4.5% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, compared with 1.4% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 1.4% to 2.5%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Welwyn Hatfield increased by 4.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Welwyn Hatfield by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.4% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.8%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71.2% in 2001. The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.4% to 11.2%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Welwyn Hatfield decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Welwyn Hatfield, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households with children increased in Welwyn Hatfield, while falling in Leeds (one of the most statistically similar areas to Welwyn Hatfield based on ONS area classifications).

In Welwyn Hatfield, the proportion went up from 29.2% in 2001 to 30.2% in 2011, while across England it fell from 28.8% to 27.6%. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 29.4% to 29.6%.

The proportion of households without children in Welwyn Hatfield remained close to 60.7%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.4% to 9.1%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Welwyn Hatfield, which comprised a single parent, increased from 8.7% to 9.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in three (33.8%) households had a married couple, compared with 37.2% in 2001. The percentage of households in Welwyn Hatfield, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.0% to 9.5%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Welwyn Hatfield residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.6% to 1.9% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Welwyn Hatfield remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Welwyn Hatfield by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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